Nepali Congress leaders from Rukum called on Prime Minister Sushil Koirala on Sunday and requested him to keep the district intact while federating the country.

The recently proposed seven-state federal set-up has divided Rukum into Province 5 and Province 6. The  division has angered the people in the district.

“There is no valid reason to split the district other than the political interests of some Maoist leaders,” said NC leader Prem Prakash Oli.

PM Koirala assured the NC leaders that he would take up the issue at the Special Committee meeting and make changes taking the other leaders into confidence.  

“Maoist leaders had proposed splitting Rukum arguing that Magar community residing in eastern part of the district should be put together with the Magars residing in Baglung and Rolpa,”  Oli quoted the PM as saying.

The locals in Rukum have been protesting the decision to divide Rukum.